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Programs come with detailed instructions for how to customize the program to your running paces and heart rate training zones using CRP’s custom performance prediction calculator.
Review a sample of the instructions included with each training program here - training program instructions.

To find the program that is right for you read the program description’s below and select the program that matches your goals, experience and abilities best.

After completing payment for a program through the secure servers with pay pal you will be sent back to one of our web pages where your newly purchased training program will immediately download and you can get started with your training.

Not sure what program is right for you?  Contact Coach Coster.

Training programs offered:

1.  5K # 1 -

For the runner who can run 12-15 miles a week, this training program prepares you to race your first 5k after 12 weeks of training.

Price: $35.00 - To purchase click the ‘buy now’ link directly below.

2.  5K # 2 -

Designed for runners with 6 months to 1 year of experience and the ability to run 3-4 times a week with some vigorous training. This 12-week plan will help you improve performance in the 5k and build strength for longer distances.

Price: $35.00 - To purchase click the ‘buy now’ link directly below.

3. 5K # 3 -

For the runner who has 1-2 years of experience and averaged 20 miles per week for the last 4 weeks. This 12-week schedule includes 4-5 runs per week with threshold running and speed work to improve endurance and performance in the 5k.

Price: $35.00 - To purchase click the ‘buy now’ link directly below.

4. 5K # 4 -

Designed for the experienced competitive runner who has averaged 30+ miles a week for the last 4 weeks. This 12-week program involves 6 days of training including track workouts, tempo runs and hills sessions designed to improve 5k performance.

Price: $35.00 - To purchase click the ‘buy now’ link directly below.

5. 10K # 1 -

For the individual presently runnning 10-12 miles a week, this 12-week program will give you the proper mileage to help you feel good about the 10k distance.

Price: $35.00 - To purchase click the ‘buy now’ link directly below.

6. 10K # 2 -

For the runner averaging 15-20 miles a week, this program is designed to help you race your first 10k after 12 weeks of training.

7. 10K # 3 -

For the runner who has 2 years of experience and currently runs approximately 25 miles per week. This 12-week schedule includes 5 runs per week with threshold running and speed work to improve performance.

8. 10K # 4 -

Designed for the competitive runner with 2-3 years of experience and an average of 30 miles per week for the last 4 weeks. This 12-week program involves 6 days of training including track workouts, tempo runs and hills sessions.

9. Half Marathon# 1 -

For the individual who has been running at least 6 months, has participated in a 5k or 10k race, and has averaged 15+ miles a week for the last 4 weeks. This 12-week program will give you the proper mileage to help you complete the 13.1 mile distance comfortably and enjoyably.

10. Half Marathon # 2 -

Designed for the runner who is currently training 3-4 days per week and has averaged 20 miles per week for the last 4 weeks. This 12-week plan includes a variety of vigorous training, hill workouts and tempo runs to help individuals hit a ½ marathon time goal.

11. Half Marathon # 3 -

Designed for the runner who is currently training 3-4 days per week and has averaged 20 miles per week for the last 4 weeks. This 12-week plan includes a variety of vigorous training, hill workouts and tempo runs to help individuals hit a ½ marathon time goal.

12. Half Marathon # 4 -

Designed for the individual who has been running and competing more than 2 years and has averaged 30+ miles a week for the last 4 weeks. This 12-week program emphasizes speed work, tempo runs and longer distances to help you compete at a higher level.

13. Marathon # 1 -

For the individual with at least a year of experience, this 28-week program is designed for the runner who has averaged 15 miles per week for the last 4 weeks and has time to run up to 40 miles per week. This schedule will help you finish a marathon comfortably.

14. Marathon # 2 -

Designed for the runner with at least 1 year of experience and who has averaged 20+ miles per week for the last 4 weeks. This 24-week schedule includes 4+ days of training and up to 45 miles per week. This program is for individuals looking to improve their performance in the marathon.

15. Marathon # 3 -

For the runner who has more than 2 years of experience, has completed at least 1 marathon and has averaged 25+ miles a week for the last 4 weeks. This 25-week schedule emphasizes speed work and longer runs culminating in a high of 50 miles per week to enable you to run a faster marathon.

16. Marathon # 4 -

For the runner who has more than 2 years of experience, has completed at least 1 marathon and has averaged 35+ miles a week for the last 4 weeks. This 25-week schedule emphasizes speed work and longer runs culiminating in a high of 55 miles a week to enable you to improve your performance in the marathon.

Custom Training Programs -

Don’t see the program your looking for? Complete Running Programs provides custom training programs for a variety of events and abilities. More information on these at Personal Coaching and Custom Training Programs.

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Fueling during the run

What is Fuel? Fuel can be thought of as any food, drink or combination thereof that sustains your body. During a run, simple carbohydrates found in energy drink, gels and even bars that are easily digestible during your run are you best fuel choices.

Fuel choices: Your best choice of fuels on race day will always be the ones you have been using on long runs or during other training sessions. In the event you have had mixed success with your chosen fuels thus far, or are able to avoid fueling during most of your long runs, you need to evaluate your options. The first consideration should be what will be available to you on the race course and how frequently it will be served. With some investigation and testing you can determine what refreshments will be provided at your race, and if they will accommodate your needs. Most race websites will indicate what will be served on the course and where. In planning for this, keep in mind a few factors.
1. Ideal concentrations of ‘energy drink’ for fueling during a marathon or run over 2 hours are a mixture of 4-8 g/L of a simple carbohydrate solution with salt (NaCl) present in concentrations of 0.5 to 0.7 g/L of fluid, consumed at a rate of 600 – 1200 ml/hour. For mixing your own drink these guidelines are easy if you consider that your drink will be primarily simple carbohydrate. Therefore find out what one serving size is in grams and attempt to mix your 4-8 grams of this in 1 L of water for proper concentration. Many races will have their energy drink in greater concentrations than this. If the drink tastes strong when consuming make sure to follow a gulp of energy drink with one of water if available.
2. The main carbohydrate present should be a simple carbohydrate that can be quickly converted to glucose for use in the blood stream. I feel that products containing glucose, dextrin or maltodextrin as the first ingredient are ideal products to consume as liquids or gels during an event. These products are converted quickly to glucose for energy use via the blood stream and absorb at a consistent rate in the gut, minimizing gastrointestinal distress. Drinks containing sucrose, fructose or high fructose corn syrup can present GI issues for some runners.
3. Energy drinks, gels or hard foods are for fueling purposes and therefore needs to be consumed BEFORE the need arises in the body for such fuel. Don’t wait to feel thirsty or tired before fueling. Think of yourself as topping off your tanks as you take your gulp of energy drink every 2-5 miles of your next marathon.

Use this as a guide for determining your choice drinks or gel substitutes during your marathon. Begin reading product labels the labels and make informed choices of what you consume during your runs.

Frequency of Fueling: The frequency of fueling during an event is different for each athlete. Whether via energy drink or energy gel + water fueling should be at a rate around of 30 – 60 g of carbohydrate per hour. A simple guideline for how much to drink during you marathon or next long event is to take a swallow or two of energy drink at the correct concentration every 2 miles. There is no substitute for practice for fueling during the run. Find out how much, how often and what types of fuels work best for you on long runs and make a plan to have those available when you need them at your next event.

Fueling before the run

Days preceding event: An entire article could be devoted to fueling before a race, so I will just cover general concepts and keep it simple. In the week leading up to the marathon you should continue to eat well rounded meals at regular intervals during the day that satisfy the widely accepted need to have 55 -70% of ones calories from carbohydrates, 10-20% from fat and 10-15% from protein sources. Perhaps most importantly, you should strive to refuel your body by making sure to consume 7-10 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight a day. Keep in mind there are 2.2 pounds in a kilogram and 28.3 grams in 1 ounce when estimating these numbers for yourself. The evening before a race make smart simple choices by eating a familiar meal in moderation. Hydration with and without energy drinks should be continued up until bed.
Day of event: The morning of a race presents challenges for some marathoners as early start times often force changes to morning rituals. Keep it simple by eating a well known, moderately sized breakfast 3-5 hours before the start of the race while continuing to consume liquids in moderation once the urine runs clear.

Developing a race plan

Creating a race plan is a necessary exercise to ensure that you are knowledgeable about the terrain you will be running and what your mile or kilometer splits need to be to maintain goal pace.

Course profile: Most race websites offer a glimpse into their course profile including mile points as well as an elevation profile. If the course is unknown to you and/or inaccessible for a reconnaissance run, ask friends or chat rooms if others who have raced the course for your goal event can inform you of points on the course where significant (2min or longer) up hill AND down hill sections are present. Additionally it will be helpful to know if there are areas of the course near rivers, lakes or other consistently windy areas. Finally if you plan to receive aid or even encouragement from family and friends, find spots they can easily get on to and off of the course to cheer you on.

Time splits: Take into account information you can gain from others on your race course when putting together your splits for the race. When racing out of the United States determine if and where splits will be present in miles. If not available make sure to determine your splits in kilometers! Using your goal time, determine what your average mile or kilometer split is to be and develop a way of documenting these for race day reference. Simply writing these on you hand or arm, or on a bracelet are useful for quick reference. Regardless of how you keep yourself on pace memorize significant splits of 5, 10, 13.1 (half marathon) and 15 miles or 5, 10, 20 and 25 kilometers to ensure that if all else fails you know how close you are to goal pace going into 20 miles or 30 kilometers. If going into 20 miles you have maintained goal pace under a reasonable effort you have set your self up for a great day. Focus your efforts on maintain goal pace during the last 10K and refrain from significantly deviating from it until the last mile no matter how strong you may feel!

Race Simulation

One of the best ways to shake pre race jitters is to set up a race simulation workout in the weeks leading into the marathon. Select a route you can easily track so that each mile of the run mirrors the profile of your race course. Ask family and friends to show their support by providing aid to you along your route at the intervals you plan to drink. Provide them with small bottles of the pre-mixed drink you will be using in your race. Commit to your apparel and footwear for your race and use these during the race simulation. Take the details of this trial run seriously to the point that you wear the same socks in the trial you will take to the marathon.
If attempting to simulate a marathon, cover your 14-20 miles of run with a portion of it at goal race pace. Mentally approach this as you would your race, being patient and focused during your run. Take any unplanned pit stops or other hiccups in the trial run with a grain of salt and address them as you would on race day. Use your mock aid stations as you would in your race and practice drinking on the run and let your friends grab your bottle off the ground for you when you’re done.
Done 3-5 weeks before your marathon, this run should provide you plenty of time to make needed changes to fuel, gear or race strategy.

Race day logistics: Getting the most out of your upcoming race means being prepared. Make sure you have a ride to the start line or plans for parking. If traveling to your goal race, make appropriate plans for the days you are traveling. These should include travel days, rest days from running, running while out of town, items to pack when traveling to a goal race, where to eat while traveling and the weather in your race city. For a list of items to pack for your marathon please see below.
Finally make sure all your hard work is rewarded by making plans to be taken care of after your race. Keep walking afterwards to a minimum by making arrangements to be picked-up and consider how and when you will refuel.

Have a great race

With a plan for your race and a little practice executing it, your next race or marathon can be a memorable one for the right reasons. Go to the start line with the confidence in your race plan and training to get the most out of your ability. Enjoy the experience of the race and when through take some time to reflect on it and to learn from it.

I hope you find the content and topics of this article useful. I encourage comments and suggestions for future articles. See you next month.

Long may you run,

Sean Coster

Race day kit:
-race singlet*
-race shorts*
-socks*
-shoes*
-safely pins
-body glide/blister shield
-hat
-gloves
-throw away shirt (long sleeve)
-garbage bag (for rain at start line)
-energy gels/drinks/foods for the event
-race day breakfast food
-water bottle and energy drink for travel
-snacks for travel
-foul weather gear to race in, just in case!
* make sure these items have been used during long runs prior to your race.

Sean Coster
“Fluids and Performance in Prolonged Endurance Performance,” Nutrition, Volume 20, Issue 7-8, pp651-656; S. von Duvillard, W. Braun, M. Markofski, R. Beneke, R. Leithäuser
“Sports Nutrition: Fluid, Electrolytes and Minerals,” Report from the World Forum on Physical Activity and Sport, Quebec City, Canada, 19th - 21st May, 1995; Noakes, TD
“Foods, Nutrition and Sports Performance; a final consensus statement,” Journal of Sports Sciences 1991; 9 (Suppl 9):iii. Devlin, J.T., Williams, C.
“Guidelines for Daily Carbohydrate Intake: Do Athletes Achieve Them,” Sports Medicine, Volume 31, Number 4, 2001, pp. 267-299(33) Burke L.M.1; Cox G.R.1; Cummings N.K.1; Desbrow B.1

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1. Consuming anything for your pre-race breakfast you haven’t consumed before a long run.

2. Trusting that the marathon’s pace group leaders will run the appropriate pace. (Keep track of your actual splits and know your pace for your goal time).

3. Wearing any clothing in the race that you have not run over 13 miles in.

4. Starting without double knotting your shoe laces.

5. Slowing down or stopping with a running partner. Despite the fact that you may have trained with them and you would like to accompany and aid them, if they drop out of the race your event will be compromised.

6. Not making reservations for your pre race dinner. If traveling to a marathon, find a safe dinning option close to your accommodations that you can make a reservation for. If you are waiting to eat at 9pm the night before your race you will regret it the next day.

7. Engaging in your tourism of the marathon city in the day’s before the marathon. Put your feet up, read, rest and fuel up for your big day. Leave the sightseeing to the days after the marathon, even if this means doing so on a couple of well used wheels.

8. Not having an exit strategy. Eventually you may need to drop out of a marathon. Be prepared and take money for cab fare and have the numbers of those you will need to contact.

9. Taking your sweatpants off more than 5 minutes before the start of your race. Rarely is a marathon started in conditions warm enough to allow leg muscles to be properly activated without some warm up and insulation.
10. Driving your self to the start. Who wants another issue to contend with on race day? Find some means of easily arriving at the starting line 1 hour before your race without having to drive yourself.

Do you know how fast you should run each time you head out the door? Make sure your getting the most out of each run by using Complete Running Programs 8 Custom Training Paces. Receive your complimentary training paces from our website. Click here to get your training paces.

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How to take resting heart rate: To take a resting heart rate count your pulse on your wrist or neck for 15 seconds, beginning by counting zero first, and multiple by 4. Do this before rising at the same time each morning. If unfeasible to do before rising in the morning lie down at the same time each day and relax for 20 minutes. At the end of this rest period take the pulse rate on a 15 second count. Document this value in your training log each day.

Why is this useful: In addition to enjoying the reinforcement that your fitness is improving by observing a lower resting heart rate from your regular running the consistent record keeping of your resting heart rate is important for your training and your coach in 2 ways.
1. A resting heart rate 5 or more beats above normal is an early indication of overtraining, stress or impending illness. By catching the symptoms early you or your coach can modify training as needed to alleviate larger problems resulting in more time away from running.
2. Along with an accurate maximum heart rate, resting heart rate can be utilized to develop heart rate training zones specific for your current level of fitness. To use your resting heart rate to accurately hit a goal heart rate zone follow these steps
a. Maximum heart rate – Resting heart rate = Heart rate reserve
b. Heart rate reserve x Goal exercise intensity (%) =% of heart rate reserve
c. % of heart rate reserve + resting heart rate= Goal heart rate for workout

Employing heart rate training zones that utilize a known resting heart rate along with an accurate maximum heart rate will ensure you are training at the proper intensities for your current level of fitness. Training intensities that do not take into account your resting heart rate will be significantly less accurate.

If you do not know your maximum heart rate I recommend the following equation. HR max = 205.8 - (0.685 * age).

Although no equation will accurately predict your maximum heart rate, this equation was shown to have the lowest range of error (+/- 6.4 beats per minute) when evaluated against 43 other calculations for maximum heart rate.

Using heart rate to monitor exercise intensity is most useful at the lower running intensities and should be used in conjunction with your corresponding training paces.

Regularly monitoring resting heart rate is a simple and effective way to prevent overtraining. By ensuring enough recovery between workouts you will be less likely to become injured or chronically fatigued because of your training load and life stresses.

To get started using your heart rate data to train more efficiently visit
https://www.completerunningprograms.com/v/pacecalc2.htm
to receive your 8 Custom Training Paces and the corresponding heart rate training zones.

Long may you run,

Sean Coster
Head Coach
Founder-Complete Running Programs

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Since breathing is the means we use to transfer oxygen to all of our body’s systems, saying it’s “important” is quite an understatement. Improving your breathing mechanics while running is a skill that should be valued by beginners and experienced runners alike. The concept of proper breathing while running is straightforward, but requires practice on a daily basis to become second nature. The best breathing technique during running is to breath from the diaphragm. Some call this yoga breathing or belly breathing. By breathing from the diaphragm, a runner will take deeper breaths, preventing the shallow breathing in the chest that can lead to side stitches (see “Side Stitches and Running” for details on the suspected causes and solutions for this).
In addition to preventing side stitches, breathing from the diaphragm is likely to improve performance through a variety of factors. The most obvious advantage to this breathing strategy is the greater volume of oxygen taken in with each respiration, in comparison to shallow chest breathing. Other benefits may include the postural advantages gained by breathing from the belly that will likely improve the stabilization of the spine by engaging its support muscles. To practice the proper breathing technique in running, begin with an exercise at home. Lie on your back and place a large book on your stomach, centered over your belly button. Attempt to raise and lower the book in a consistently gradual manner through fluid breathing. Try to push the book up with each inhale and gradually lower it on the exhale. During training runs, work on spending a portion of the run using this technique in the most natural manner possible. Tim Noakes, in his book “Lore of Running,” explains that this may take up to two months to perfect. Breathing is seldom considered a trainable factor in your running, but I challenge you to work on developing breathing from the diaphragm. In future articles, we will discuss other forms of respiratory training.
Long may you run,
Sean Coster

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Referred to in research as Exercise related Transient Abdominal Pain (ETAP) the side stitches occurrence has been reviewed in research on large samples of athletes via questionnaires. Interviews with athletes from various disciplines, including running, has shown us that ETAP appears to be a single condition manifested in the right or left lumbar regions of the abdomen. The sensation was described by these athletes as cramping, aching, pulling or even with greater severity in sharp stabbing pains . Yep that’s it. The research questionnaires have also illustrated that with these athletes that have more frequent training, ETAP is less often experienced. Additionally it was revealed that the groups most frequently afflicted with this condition were runners and horse back riders! Unfortunately all current research has been able to provide is hypotheses as to what it may be by what ETAP is not. It is hypothesized that the Parietal Peritoneum (surrounds the abdomen just inside of the abdominal wall) and the innervations of this with branches of the phrenic nerve may play a significant role in the onset of the side stitch. Simply stated the theory is that the irritation of a nerve stemming from the facet joints on the spine (the joints made by the little ‘arms’ coming off each section of vertebra) may receive friction from an unknown source triggering the pain we know as ETAP or a side stitch. This hypothesis was developed out of the coincidence with shoulder tip pain in many suffers of the side stitch . So what do we do with this knowledge?

What to do
Given this investigative research yielding no hard conclusions to the cause of the side stitch, what are we to do to prevent its onset? Before you consider voodoo or other supernatural solutions, consider the recommendations of researchers and other doctors in the field of sports medicine. The relationship with the spine has been associated with the possible explanation of the aggravation of the phrenic nerve. Researchers found that people with kyphosis (a curvature of the spine) and certain palpations of the facet joints of the spine would reproduce ETAP. Morton, a leading researching in the causes of ETAP, concluded by suggesting that: “These findings may indicate that efforts to optimize spinal integrity may be important in the management of ETAP.
There we have it; Morton has provided a new insight into a potential relief from the side stitch.

From this I have accumulated the current and comprehensive strategies for avoiding ETAP.
a. diet before run
b. diaphragm breathing
c. abdominal exercises prior to running
d. pressure when you exhale
e. adjusting the foot that falls on exhale
f. lying down elevate hips

Diet before the run: Long it has been thought that the pre-run diet is the culprit of the side stitch and this may be a contributing factor. Recent research on the association of fluids with ETAP saw an increased occurrence of ETAP with the ingestion of a variety of hypertonic fluids (concentrated solution: energy drinks, soda, etc.) directly before intense bouts of running . Therefore we can conclude one would be wise to avoid concentrated drinks and foods 2-4 hours prior to running .

Diaphragm breathing: Yoga or belly breathing is a technique that all runners should learn. In the ‘Lore of Running’ by Tim Noakes, MD he describes this as ‘breathing with predominately the diaphragm, rather than with the chest muscles. With belly breathing the chest hardly moves at all. Instead, the abdomen (stomach) appears to be doing all the work, for as you breathe in, the stomach goes up, and when you exhale, the stomach retracts .” A simple exercise for practicing belly breathing is to lie on the back and place a heavy book on your stomach. Inhale such that the book will rise then exhale allowing the book to come back down in a gradual manner. This takes the movement of the upper chest out of the breathing cycle and creates long fluid cycles of breathing like those practiced in yoga. If we are to embrace the possibility that the aggravation of nerves in the thorax play a role in the side stitch, I feel this breathing technique is instrumental in avoiding ETAP.
Engaging the abdominal and back muscles prior to running: If we accept that the position and movement of the spine may play a role in the occurrence of ETAP, then it is logical that ETAP may be avoided by development of the abdominal and back muscles. To maintain tone in these muscles and engage them prior to running, one can incorporate both pelvic stability and circuit training routines in to the training program before running.

What to do when ETAP appears:

If, despite our best efforts, ETAP rears its ugly head during a run there are three strategies for managing it.

Forced exhale: When the location of the stitch is identified, exhale so as to produce pressure in the area of the stitch. With some practice this can be performed while running. This is an effective strategy when ETAP is first felt.

Switch the foot fall when you exhale: Whether you realize it or not, you likely have a series of breathing patterns that you engage while running. These breathing patterns may have you exhaling on the same foot fall with each breathing cycle. On your next run observe how many breaths you take for each footfall and on which foot you exhale. If find yourself exhaling on the same foot each time, then attempt to adjust the foot that lands on the ground during your exhale the next time ETAP appears. This may shift the jarring motion of your contact with the ground, adjusting pressure in the spine enough to squelch ETAP.
If all else fails, stop running: But not forever. If the above techniques prove ineffective at minimizing the effects of ETAP to allow you to run.. Lie with your back on the ground and elevate your hips. This technique suggested by Noakes allows for rapid relief of the side stitch and for differentiation of the stitch from other ailments such as chest pain from heart disease.

Literally a pain in the side, the side stitch can seriously compromise your running. Although the exact origins of this trouble are still a mystery to researchers, armed with a regular routine of yoga style breathing, core stability training, and avoidance techniques to offset ETAP on the run, all runners should be able to keep ETAP at bay.

Long may you run,

Sean Coster

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